Long toboggan, part 1 and 2

Long toboggan, part 1

One of my richest childhood memories is when we brothers went on the toboggan at the top of Kusbaken's big bridge and then bounced down between the plow embankments. (at that time they were plowed with wooden plows and maybe not so hard) and then there was a cross stop against a harder plow embankment down by the country road. I don't remember how many of us brothers were there but we screamed and fell off but apparently we survived.

Björs Olle

Long toboggan, part 2

I remember when dad and BjörsJonas had made a towpath for timber from the top of Grindstenberget (Hoxtret) down to the road, then over the roof at Kåra and over Kresfersmyra down to the river's outlet. That towpath eventually became a bobsleigh track and we - the kids in Kåra, Nybergs, Norins, Hesthagens, PellPers, Jakopas and the rascals don't know if you from NederStene were also there. Sometimes Jakopas-Jonas took their toboggan, otherwise we made sleds with 5 - 6 kicks. Oh my gosh, how fast it went.
 
You are right in your thinking that we survived worse injuries. I know dad was worried when we did sleigh rides from the top of Grindstensberget on the main road and if luck was with us, we made it all the way down to the Kresfersmjölkpallen at Hybovagen. Of course it was dangerous, but as some sensible person wrote - environmentally hazardous paint in our children's beds, unseparated milk, sharing drinks with the whole group, leaving home to fish or play with others and coming home late in the afternoon, bicycle without light and button-handy brakes and chains that fell off a cliff in the quarter - but we had fun, were probably less sick than children these days and we were out in the fresh air and we had friends.
It's almost a pity for the kids these days. I have often received a comment from Gudmund that he wishes that when he is as old as I am, he will still have as many childhood friends and good memories as I have.

How are you with your sight and hearing? I must get new glasses because the ones I have had since 2006 are not good. In addition, I hear so badly that Pervin accuses me of not caring about her - does not respond to calls - which can be restful at times but which creates disturbances in the family life. Might have to do something about it, but otherwise I'm fine, even if I should operate on the meniscus in my left knee. The doctor in England says when it gets "too damn bad" we'll fix it too.
 
I remember that evening when the Linfabriken in Hybo burned down. I had probably been with you (in Björs) and cycled home in the evening when the horizon to the north flared up so I was on my way back to you to talk about it, when Pucka-Ella stood out on the road watching and pulled me in for a mug of chocolate milk. Don't make people true these days!

Kåra Lars Erik